Dee’s reflections on the first three weeks in Africa

Three weeks in Africa and much has happened. One great week outfitting our new home the Toyota HiLux 4×4. Bushlore folks were terrific and we left Saturday morning for our first camping adventure. Up to the Drakensberg escarpment for Golden Gate Nat’l Park. Chilly in their autumn season – down bags and long underwear in the evening. Got short hike in – up ravine, around meadows for good views. Noticing mostly white people at the National Parks. Some South Africans and lots of European tourists. I guess the local majority (Black) have to deal with 45% unemployment and a battered education system so visiting national resources is a luxury, not a high priority. All people are very friendly with wonderful smiles that shine forth from a sincere inside of good wishes. Onto Royal Natal National Park with more walks and a view of San rock art. Indigenous tribes were prolific in drawing events of lives and dreams, as the story goes. Then our first 4×4 mountain pass- Sani Pass- up to 2873 meters, about 9400 feet. Rob did a great job around the hairpin turns. Luckily the grading was pretty good and he has been a 4 wheeler for 40 some years! Next stop was home of Tina & Jones between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. An excellent visit for gaining local knowledge, having fun with Maya, 6 yrs old, and Noah, 4 yrs old. They even took us to a local private reserve where we did our first animal viewings – zebras, wildebeests, blesboks (they graze together sharing their individual specialty senses of smell, hearing and eyesight), giraffes, hippos and then rhinosorous! Really a great day. Then we moved on to Hluhluwe/Imfolosi National Park for three more days of great animal viewing.

Dee